The Local Meteorological Station has announced an orange alert for heavy rain and snow, along with thunderstorms and lightning in certain areas of Himachal Pradesh, set to take effect on March 3. This alert coincides with a period of dry weather and a noticeable rise in maximum temperatures across the state, observed on Sunday.
The warning specifically targets the districts of Chamba, Kangra, and Lahaul and Spiti, due to the accumulated impact of significant snowfall and rainfall experienced between February 26 and 28, according to the meteorological authorities.
Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi reported that restoration efforts are ongoing, even on Sundays. At present, 365 roads and three national highways remain closed, with disruptions affecting 1,377 power transformers and 269 water supply schemes.
Although avalanches have been reported in some areas, there have been no fatalities or property damage. However, an individual named Sant Ram fell into Jodh Nallah near Saach in the tribal Pangi valley. Local residents successfully rescued him, and a government helicopter airlifted him to Kullu for medical treatment.
Light rainfall has occurred in isolated locations, with Aghar, Pachhad, Jaton Barrage, Kufri, and Chamba recording rainfall amounts of 17 mm, 15 mm, 3.4 mm, 3.2 mm, and 2 mm, respectively. The remainder of the state experienced dry conditions.
Sunday was marked by clear skies and bright sunshine, offering some relief from the previous unfavorable weather. Una was the hottest location in the state, reaching a temperature of 28.4 degrees Celsius, which is 2.3 degrees Celsius above the seasonal average.
There were also no significant fluctuations in minimum or maximum temperatures. Keylong was noted as the coldest location at night, with temperatures dropping to minus 11.8 degrees Celsius, while Una maintained its position as the warmest during the day.
The meteorological department anticipates light to moderate rain or snow in isolated areas on March 3, followed by moderate precipitation across many regions on March 4, with forecasts indicating dry weather expected from March 5 to 8.
